The £10m home ‘not good enough’ for squatter gang

A group of squatters who took over a £10 million house claimed today they would move into a new, even bigger home near "Billionaires' Row".

The 30-strong gang said they had "selected" a palatial property a stone's throw from The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, one of Britain's most expensive streets.

They claimed they would continue squatting when they are evicted from the 10-bedroom house in Broadlands Road, Highgate, where they have been living since Boxing Day.

The group, led by east Europeans but containing seven people from Britain, took over the house when their organiser, Jason Ruddick, broke in through a lavatory window.

Mr Ruddick, an unemployed 21-year-old from Riga in Latvia, labelled Britain an "easy touch" and said he studied his legal rights in the Squatters' Handbook after travelling to London a year ago.

The property was formerly owned by ITV director John Ormerod and is being refurbished by airline food tycoon Albert Abela. He discovered the squatters were there and sought immediately to have them removed.

The gang, ranging in ages from about 19 to 50, have been given a court order to leave by January 19.

Henry Chris, 20, from East Finchley, said: "We've had a few parties so we'll need to tidy up a bit."

The squatters admitted the house is in a state. Beer cans and rubbish were strewn over the floor, while graffiti had been daubed on the walls.

Mr Ruddick said their next home was "even better". He added: "We want to stay in Highgate because it is nice near Hampstead Heath. We are going to squat in a bigger house near Bishops Avenue."

Explaining how he identified homes to take over, he said: "It is quite easy if you know what you are looking for. Normally the mail box is full, curtains are drawn, the lights are off — sometimes you can even ask the neighbours."

Mr Ruddick said they had refused to let Mr Abela in when he came round. "He was pretty angry. He said he was refurbishing the place and wanted to get us out but we did not leave. He was just banging on the door."